Improvement in mail-bag fastenings



y. I naar eine aan can,

n. `inaaNKLlN Denen, or Lou/VILLE,v NW Youn.

Letters Patent No. 111,521, dated February 7, 1871; antedated January 28, 1871.

IMPRQVEMENT IIN MAIL-BAG FASTENINGS:

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the Rame.

I,D. FRANKLIN Denen, of Lowville, in the county'of Lewis and State of New York, haveV invented, certain Improvements in Mail- Bag "Iiastening's, of which the following Ais a specification.

rI he nature and object of my ini `entio'nare to construct a fastening for mail-bags, which, when open, shall furnish the best aperture for the reception ot mail matter from the receptacles in which it is placed when sorted; which can be shut and locked instantly, an importantobject on all mail-cars; and when closed, to fasten the mouth-oi'v the mail-bag firmly and securely.

In the accompanying drawiug- Figure l represents a back View of the frame of the fastening and a portion of the mail-bag.

Figure 3, a front view ofthe same.-

Figure 2, a top view of the fastening, when thc same is fully open, and showing the shape of' the mouth of'v the bagwhen ready to receive mail matter.

'lhesame letters of reference represent the same' parts in all the figures. c

In the accompanying drawing- A represents the upper portion of a mail-bag.

B,the frame of my improved fastening, which I construct of metal, fenerally iron Vor steel, inclosing the mouth of the bag, to the edges of which it is, by its lower edge, irxnly riveted, and at its upperedge bent inward at right angles `in such a manner that when the bag is shut they will overlap each other.

This frame, when closed, is jointed at each end by means of the rings m m passing through suitable holes in each side of the frame, and each l side of the frame is also jointed in the same manner by the rings n .11., at a distance from each end equal to about onefourth the entire length of one side.

, rlhe joints above mentioned cause the mouth ofthe bag, when opened, to fassume the lshape shown by the frame in tig. 2, which is the best for the reception and discharge of inail-matter.

t o o represent one or more lips, projecting from each end of the middle, piece of each side of the frame a little over onto the outside of the piece jointed to it, in order to give a` certain rigidity to the frame, and assist in holding thoseparts of the frame in' place.

i represents a catch, iirmly fastened to the insideof the back middle piece of the frame, near one end there- D "7 reaches through a slot in the corresponding end of the front middle piece, and receives the end of the bolt G, as shown in iig. 3.

-as to allow'the part-s to be which, when the bag is closed, I A

h represents a staple, fastened in a similar manner to the inside of the back middle piece, near the other end thereof', as shown in iig.' 2, which, when the bag is closed, reaches through a similar slot in the corre sponding end of the front middle-piece, and will also reach through a similar slot in the hasp E when in place, as shown in g. 3, far enough to receive the link of the padlock'used for locking' the bag.

In fig. 3-

E represents a hasp;

F, a lever; and

G, a bolt; combined as follows:

The lever-F is fas ened at its center to the frame B by the pivot c, ab ut which it can be turned. 'lhe hasp E is hinged at ll to one end of the lever Fin such manner as to allow the hasp to be lifted olf the staple 7L, and the bolt G is at one end fastenedvby a hinge to the other arm of the lever F at b, in such manner placed inthe position show n by the dotted lines. i l 4 The other end-of the bolt G is supported and guided by the headed pin c, passing through a slot therein, and fastened to the frame B.

YWhen the hasp-leverr and bolt above described are in the position shown in fig. 3, the mouth of' the bag is held lirmly and securely closed by the end ot the bolt G in the .catch t', and by the link of the padlock through the staple H, and also by the rigidity of the frame B. f

To open the bag after removing the padlock, it is only necessary to lift the hasp oii from the'staple, and

place it in the position shown by the dotted lines in g. 3, when the end ot' the bolt will be drawn out ot' the catch, and the mouth ot' the bag can be opened into the shape shown'in fig. 2, and' to close the bz-O, the operation is simply reversed.

This can be done almost instantaneously, and much time and labor saved, which, practically, is of great iluport-ance upon mail-cars,especially when the stations are frequent. What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent, is-

The `combination ot' a jointed frame, B, hasp E, jointed lever F, bolt G, staple h., and catch fi, constructed and arranged substantially as above described.

I). FRANKLIN DODGE.

Witnesses Gno. D. (Downes, JAMES NoXoN. 

